Magazine or cartridge feeding device for automatic machine-guns



' A. H. FOX AND w. J. RICE. MAGAZINE 0R CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUNS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1917.

1,335,677. Patented Mar. 30, 1920,

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A. II. FOX AND W. J. RICE. MAGAZINE 0R CARTI-IIDGE'FEEDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUNS,

- APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1917. 1,335, 77, Patented Mar. 30,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET?- A. HIFOX AND w. J. RICE.

MAGAZINE 0R CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUNS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. I917.

1,335,677. Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

'4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- A. H. FOX AND W. J. RICE. MAGAZINE 0R CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUNS.

- APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. 19m.

1,335,677, Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I gi ls ANSLEY I-I. FOX AND WALTER J. RICE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNQRS TO ANSLEY H. 'FOX'COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COBPGRATION or DELAWARE.

MAGAZINE'OR CARTRIDGE FEEDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINE-GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, E920.

Application filed April 9, 1917. Serial No. 160,740.

. sylvania, have invented certain new. and

useful Improvements in Magazine or Cartrid-ge Feeding Devices for Automatic chine-Guns, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a magazine or cartridge feeding device for automatically operated machine guns.

The prime object of this invention is to provide aca-rtridge feeding device so constructed that it will be certain to feed the cartridges to the gun-regardless of the position of the gun, and will also feed regularly without regard to the consecutive or proper filling of the magazine.

A further object or" the invention is to provide a novel, simple, strong durable and cfiicient magazine for feeding cartridges to a machine gun which may be readily and quickly attached or detached from the gun frame. 7

Another object of this invention is to construct a portable and convenient cartridge container which may be readily assembled' and disassembled without the use of any special tool or accessories.

A still further object of the invention is to so construct the magazine that it may be readily attached and detached from the gun by the use of but one hand of the operator.

The foregoing and such other objects as 'may appear from the ensuing description are attained by the novel features 0t construction, combination, location and ar rangement of parts hereinafter more fully described. illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it loeing understood that slight changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of the construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification it will be seen that V Figure 1, is a sectional elevation of the cartridge magazine or feeding device at tached to a machine gun.

movement of the top plate'and to force the Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the magazine attached to a machine gun, showing a part of the inagazine'in section and one ot the cartridges being fed into the gun receiver.

Fig. 3, is a detail sectional view of a portion of the magazine secured to a machine gun.

Fig. 4:, is a detail sectional view of a portion of the magazine detached from the gun.

Fig. 5, is a detail sectional view of a portion of a magazine resting on a machine gun. a

Fig. 6, is a plan view of the magazine secured to a machine gun.

Fig. 7, a plan view showing a part oi the magazine broken away, the magazine being detached from the gun.

Fig. '8, is a plan view of the bottom plate of the magazine, showing a slightly modified form of magazine.

Fig. 9, is a sectional view of a portion of themodified form of magazine and showing a. portion of the top and bottom plate and a division guide plate.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of adummy cartridge used in feeding the cartridges out of the magazine and to serve as a stop for the magazine.

Fig. 11 is an inverted plan view of the magazine cover or top, and

Fig. 12, is a detailperspective view showing a separating ring provided with spacin teeth for the bullet end of the cartridges.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to {designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment of this invention as illustrated and which shows a preferred constructionythenumeral l designates ;hc rotatable top plate of: the cartridge magazine or feeding device which consists of a circular disk provided with a control opening therethrough and a downwardly extended flange 2 on its outer edge. and rigidly secured to the inner surface J? said top plate or disk 1 near its outer peripheral portion is an annular separating ring 3, provided with a series of depending teeth a which serves the purpose of spacing the cartridges uniformly apart at the headed end of each cartridge, and rigidly secured to the inner surface of said top plate or disk is a dependingstop 5 which serves to limit the last cartridge out of the is also an opening 6 tormel through the to plate for the enga ent of the upwardly projecting pin 7, formed on the bullet separating ring 8, which Lat consists of a circular ring provided with teeth like gro jections 9, which project laterally thercirom entirely arounc the ring and serving to space the bullet end of each cartrius on the inside of the said ring 8, in. A l arccess 10 adapted to receive one end ot'the convolut-e magazine operating spring 11, the other end of said spring being suitably secured to the upright central hub member 12 f the magazine.

imigazine. lhere e, and

The stationary bottom. plate 13 is C0111---' posed of a circular metal disk provided with an upward y projecting ri portion 14L, the central portion tllBl'GO'ii ll ng an opening therethrough to engage h the upwardly tapered magazine secu ing post or stud 15 formed on the gun tfra? .e 16, as shown in Fig. l. The said bottom plate is also provided with a radial slot or opening 17 through which the ma azine is loaded with cartridges, and out oi? which opening each cartridge is fed to the gun. To the inner surface 01" the bottom plate is fixedly secured the cartridge spring latch 18 adapted to retain the cartridges within the magazine, but said spring latch is pushed back by a pin 19 carried by the gun frame, which pin projects through the hole :i'ormed in the bottom plate; thus when the magazine is s cured to the gun frame the projecting pin 19 serves to raise the said latch 18 and thereby permits the cartrid ges to be properly ted to the gun, at the sawe time the latch serves to exert an upward pressure on the magazine and assists in the removal or the magazine from the gun when the seeming button 21is properly manipulated.

To the inner surface or the bottom one side of the radial slot or openii fixedly secured a guide chute 1 a apted to guide the cartridges out of the magazine t irough the said 0 ning 17.

The upwardly projecting portion ll. of the stationary bottom plate 13 is nron its outside at with a projecting portion or extension 24;, which. projection. or extension is engaged by the projecting catch portion 25.01 a pivoted spring operated lever 26 carried by the gun frame whereby the magazine is safely and properly secured to the gun, in connection with the securing C3 latch or button 21 carried by the tapered securlng post or stud 15 The hub member 12 is fixedlv secured to the stationary bottom plate 13, a .o is pro plate at 17 1S I vided with key-way 27 adapted to register the , upper end portion of the member 12 is screwthreaded to receive a securing nut 32 which may be provided with any suitable means for unscrewing or removing said nut, and the upper end of said member 12 passes through the central opening formed in the top plate.

To the upper portion of the post or stud 15 is secured the knurled spring operated latch or catch button 21, provided with a lateral extension 33, adapted to engage the upper surhice of the hub-member 12, for securing the cartridge magazine on the said stud or post, said catch button being secured to the stud or post by a pin which passes thercthrough and into recesses formed in he post.

It will be rezulilyperceived that the'convolute magazine spring exerts a continuous pressure on each cartridge to'hold them in definite position on the retaining shelf formed on the gun frame receiver, until the cartridge is pushed oil the shelf and in to the chamber withinthe gun-barrel by the forw ard motionof the bolt.

The magazine is loaded against the action of the magazine spring by rotating the top plate against the tension of the spring and forcing the cartridges through the cartridge opening and into the spaces furnished by the cartridge separatingring and the toothed ullct c 1 a, the cartridge latchsprmg I cartridges within the magazlne while it 18 oil the gun.

The magazine may be loaded by hand or by a. machine. When the magazine is mounted on the gun, the cartridge latch spring is raised by contact with the projecting pin. on the gun frame and cartridges are pushed out the cartrid e opening by the action of the magazine spring andarc forced uously even though there be skipped spaces in the magazine. v

By reference to Figs. 8', 9 and 10, it Will be seen that we provide for two layers or substantially double the number of cartridges carried by the magazine by providing a division guide plate 36 secured to the stationary bottom plate, and having a projecting guide portion 37 inclined upwardly, and a downwardly curved portion 38 secured to the inner surface of the bottom plate thereby furnishing a guideway for both the filling and the discharge of the cartridges, and in connection with this modified form of construction we use a dummy cartridge lO provided with an annular projecting head or rib 4-1 near each end thereof, the said dummy cartridge serving to force the last cartridge out of the magazine. but will be prevented from passing out of the magazine by the said projecting ribs 41.

It will be understood that the separating or spacing rings for both the head and bullet portion of the cartridges will be suitably en larged in order to feed and discharge a plurality of rows or layers of cartridges.

It will be obvious that the construction and operation of our improved magazine will be readily understood by any one skilled in the art from the foregoing description.

' Having thus described our inventiomwhat we claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent is y 1. i cartridge feeding device comprising a spring-operated rotatable top cover plate carrying a toothed depending separating ring, secured to the inner surface of said plate near its'outer peripheral portion, and a spring lat-chsecurer to the inner surface of. said bottom plate.

A cartridge feeding device, comprising a stationar \,"lo.ver plate, a spring-a tuated rotatable 'top cover plate, a toothed depending separating ring fixedly secured to the inner surface of said upper plate near its outer peripheral portion, spring latch fixedly secured to the inner surfaceof' said bottom plate.

A cartridge feeding device. comprising a stationary lower plate, a spring actua l rotatable top cover plate, a tootheddepeildins-1' ring fixedly secured to said top cover plate on its inne surface d near its outer peripheral portion adapted to separate the headed end of each cartridge... a toothed rotatable ring or spacing the bullet end of each cartride and a spring latch rigidly secured to the inner surface of said bottom plate adapted to be engaged by a pin ear- 'ried by the gun frame.

4. ii carti dge feeding device, comprising a stationary lower plate having an upright hub fixedly secured thereto. a spring-actuated rotatable upper plate having a cartridge head separating ring depending therefrom. a bullet end spacing ring, a convolute spring connected to said hub and bullet spacing ring, and a cover plate for said spring seated on a shoulder formed on said hub.

A cartridge feeding device, comprising a stationary lower plate having an upright hub fixedly secured thereto and threaded at its upper end, a spring-actuated rotatable upper plate having a cartridge head separating ring depending therefrom, a bullet end spacing ring, a convolute spring removably secured to said hub and bullet spacing ring, a cover plate for said spring, and a nut secured to the screw-threaded upper end of said hub.

6. A cartridge feeding device, comprising a stationary lower plate having an'upright hub fixedly secured thereto, a springactuated rotatable upper plate having a toothed depending cartridge head separating ring fixedly secured to the inner surface of said plate near its outer peripheral portion, a bullet end spacing ring provided with a series of radially projected. teeth and an upward projection adapted to be fitted within an opening in said upper plate, a con volute spring removably secured to said hub and bullet spacing ring, and a spring latch fixedly secured to the inner surface portion of said bottom plate.

7. A cartridge feeding magazine, comprising a stationary lower plate having an upright hub fixedly secured thereto, a spring-actuated rotatable upper plate provided with 'a cartridge head separating ring, a bullet end spacing ring, a convolute spring secured to said hub and bullet end spacing ring, and a member fixedly secured to the said upper plate to push the last cartridge out and to stop further movement of the magazine.

8. A cartridge feeding magazine, comp ising a stationary lower plate having a radial opening formed therethrough and a projecting guide chute fixedly secured thereto adapted to guide the cartridge out of said opening, a rotatable spring-actuated upper plate having a toothed projecting artridge head separating ring fixedly secured to the inner surface and near the outer aeripheral portion of said upper plate, a bullet end spacing ring, and a spring latch fixedly secured to the inner surface of said bottom plate for engagement with a pin carried by the gun frame.

9. A cartridge feeding magazine, com

10. A cartridge feeding magazine, comprising a stationary bottom plate having a radial opening therethrough, a guide plate fixedly secured thereto, a spring latch rigidly secured to said plate, a spring actuated rotatable upper plate carrying a projecting cartridge head separating ring, a bullet end spacing ring, and a stud projected from the gun frame at one side of said radial opening adapted to be fitted in an opening in the bottom plate and contact with said spring latch to raise it out of the path of the cartridge feed and assist in removing the magazine when it is unlatched.

l1. A cartridge feeding magazine, comprising a stationary bottom plate having an upright tapered hub fixedly secured thereto, a spring-actuated rotatable top plate, a tapered stud fixedly secured to the gun frame for receiving said hub, a springpressed button for fastening the magazine to said stud, and pivoted spring-operated latch secured to the gun frame for locking the peripheral portion of the magazine to the gun.

12. In a device of the class described, a springactuated rotatable cartridge feeding magazine, provided with a projecting stop and cartridge feed member, and a station my bottom plate provided with an opening adapted to receive a projecting stud carried by the gun frame near the peripheral portion of said bottom plate.

13. In a device of the character described, a stationary bottom plate, a spring-actuated rotatable top plate, the said bottom plate having a radial opening therethrough, and a spring latch fixedly secured to the bottom plate. at one side of said opening adapted to prevent the feed of cartridges when not desired and to lift the magazine when its fastening catches are removed.

14. I11 a device of the character described, a stationary bottom plate, a division guide plate fixedly secured to said bottom plate, a spring-actuated rotatable top plate having a projecting cartridge head separating ring fixedly secured thereto, a bullet end spacing ring, and a convolute spring secured at one end to said bullet end separating ring.

15. In a device of the character described, a stationary bottom plate, a spring-actuated rotatable top cover plate, a bullet end cartridge spacing ring, a convolute mainspring connected to said spacing ring, and a spring latch fixedly secured to the inner surface portion of said bottom plate for engagement with a pin carried by the gun frame.

16. In a device of the character described, a stationary bottom plate having a radial opening therethrough, a spring-actuated rotable top cover plate, a division guide sion guide plate fixedly secured to said bottom plate, and a dummy cartridge adapted to force the last cartridge out but prevented from passing out of the magazine.

18. A cartridge feeding magazine, comprising a spring-actuated top cover plate, a stationary bottom plate provided with an upwardly projecting tapered hub, a bullet end spacing ring having an upward projecting stud fitted in an opening in said top cover plate, and a depending member secured to said cover plate adapted to push the last cartridge out and stop its further rotation.

19. A cartridge feeding magazine, comprising a spring-actuated top cover plate,

a stationary bottom plate provided with an upwardly projecting tapered hub, a tapered stud carried by the gun frame adapted to be fitted within said hub, a spring latch secured to the bottom plate and a stud carried by the gun frame adapted to engage said spring latch.

20. A cartridge feeding magazine, comprising a spring-actuated top cover plate,

a stationary bottom plate provided with an upwardly projecting tapered hub, a tapered stud carried. by the gun frame fitted within said stud, means for securing' thc magazine to the said stud and gunframe, and a spring latch secured to the bottom plate adapted to engage a stud carried by the gun-frame.

' ANSLEY H. FOX. WALTER J. RICE. 

